Watch or listen to sermons preached from the pulpit at Fairview Baptist Church.
To Us a Child is Born | Part 1: The Light of Christ (Isaiah 9:1-5)
In this sermon on Isaiah 9:1–5, we’re reminded that Jesus Christ is the promised child and great light who dawns upon a people living in deep darkness—whether national, societal, or personal. The Scriptures reveal that Christ’s kingdom is inaugurated through his sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, turning darkness into light as sinners repent and believe the gospel. We consider five glorious effects of this gospel light in the lives of those who embrace Christ: multiplication of life, irrepressible joy, heartfelt…
The Truth Commission: Has Anything Like This Ever Happened?
In Deuteronomy 4:32–40 Moses convenes a “truth commission,” urging Israel (and us) to search all of history—from creation to the present—and ask two questions: Has any people ever heard the voice of God speaking from fire and lived? Has any god ever taken a nation for himself out of another nation by signs, wonders, and a mighty hand? The honest answer is a resounding no—only the Lord has done this at Sinai and in the Exodus. This same pattern continues…
Watch Yourselves Carefully: The “Gods” of Our Age and the Mercy of the True God
Moses warns a new generation that a nation rises or falls by the God it serves, for idolatry is not merely ancient history but the defining spiritual battle of every era. In our own day, sophisticated new gods—DEI, Climate Change, Expressive Individualism, Indigenous Spirituality, Multicultural Pluralism, and the Technocratic-Therapeutic State—quietly demand our ultimate allegiance, redefining sin, salvation, authority, and hope while displacing the true and living God. Yet the same Lord who spoke from the fire, redeemed his people from…
Remember the Essentials: God’s Glory, Word, Covenant, and Commands
In Deuteronomy 4:9–14, Moses urges Israel to diligently guard their souls, minds, and hearts by never forgetting God’s self-revelation at Horeb—his blazing glory, spoken word, redeeming covenant, and holy commandments—so they and their children will fear and obey him all their days. This same call echoes for us today, not at Sinai but at the cross, where Christ supremely reveals the Father, compelling us to treasure these four essentials as the non-negotiable core of faithful living, to teach them to…
What Makes a Nation Great?
Deuteronomy 4:5–8 reveals that true national greatness is not found in engineering marvels, military might, or material wealth, but in a people who honor God’s righteous law, draw near to him through the reconciling gospel of Jesus Christ, and commune with him in prayer and worship. When a nation keeps God’s statutes with heartfelt obedience, the watching world will marvel, exclaiming, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people,” because no other nation has a God so near…
The Only Way to Live and Die
In this sermon, guest preacher Dr. Joel Beeke challenges us to determine who we are truly living for. Are we living for Christ, or are we living for the things of this world?
Living in Covenant: Faith, Obedience, and God’s Unchanging Promise
This sermon explores the concept of covenant as distinct from a contract, emphasizing its relational, grace-based nature rooted in God’s unchanging commitment to his people. This text highlights three key aspects: covenantal obedience; covenantal immutability; and covenantal warning. We see in these parallels to the New Covenant in Christ, urging believers to live faithfully, obey God’s commands, and trust in His grace, while warning against hypocrisy and calling unbelievers to seek Christ’s mercy.
Trusting God When Obedience Is Hard
This sermon explores the challenges of obeying God’s difficult commands, drawing from the narrative in Deuteronomy 3:12–29 where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh are instructed to leave their newly acquired land to fight for their brothers’ inheritance, and Joshua is charged to lead courageously despite fearsome enemies. It highlights the temptations to fear and settle for less, using the historical context of Israel’s victories over Sihon and Og and the faithlessness of the previous generation as lessons. The…
Giants in the Land
This sermon explores the biblical accounts of giants, such as the Anakim, Rephaim, and Nephilim, as described in Deuteronomy, Numbers, Joshua, and Genesis, proposing that these were historical figures descended from angelic beings intermingling with humans, as per Genesis 6:1–4. It addresses the reality of the spiritual realm and its impact on the material world. These giants, offspring of fallen angels, are part of a larger, cosmic battle against God’s people. The giants’ defeat by Israel and David, prefigures Christ’s…
Where Does My Help Come From?
In this sermon, we examine the contrasting sources of help for mankind. On the one hand, the world gives a faulty and deceptive offer of help that fails to meet the greatest need(s) of man. On the other hand, the Creator of heaven and earth offers a sure, stable, and lasting hope that never fails and is built on the character of God. The Psalmist asks the question that we all must consider – where does my help come from?
Devoted to Destruction: God’s Sovereign Hand in Judgment
In this sermon we consider Israel’s encounters with Edom, Moab, Ammon, and the Amorite kings Sihon and Og, seeing God’s sovereign control over nations, his judgment against sin, and lessons for believers today. This sermon considers the shocking (to us) destruction of entire peoples, down to the last man, woman, and child. It confronts the objections head-on and considers this historical event in light of the sovereignty of God and the cross of Christ. Through this, we learn to fear…
Courage to Obey: Trusting God for the Promise
In this sermon, Moses recounts the pivotal moment at Kadesh-Barnea, where the Israelites, poised to enter the Promised Land, faltered due to fear and unbelief, choosing human counsel over God’s command. Despite God’s promises, presence, and past faithfulness, the people’s lack of courage and trust led to rebellion, resulting in a 40-year wilderness wandering as divine judgment. Our generation must learn the necessity of courage rooted in faith, guarding against cowardice and humanism, and remembering God’s enduring love, presence, power,…